The Golden State Warriors are one of the most storied franchises in NBA history. They've earned that distinction in the last 15 years. The Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green era was completely and utterly dominant. Oh yeah, and Kevin Durant, too. Then, there were the Wilt Chamberlain years. Needless to say, the Warriors have been home to some legends.
But they've also made some great trades. They've done more than just draft homegrown superstars — they've done their fair share of wheeling and dealing. In fact, the Warriors have made at least two trades with every single team in the NBA.
Golden State certainly got the best of some teams. Unfortunately, they also have some bleak histories with others. Going alphabetically from Atlanta to Washington, here's the best the Warriors managed against each of them — even when "best" is doing a lot of work.
1. Atlanta Hawks: The Kristaps Porzingis trade (2026)
Yeah, I know, right? Weird that the best trade the Warriors have ever made with the Atlanta Hawks is their most recent one. But in all honesty, there isn't much competition. The Warriors traded Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to the Hawks for Kristaps Porzingis.
Golden State and Atlanta have made a whopping 17 trades throughout the course of NBA history. That's the most the Warriors have made with any team, with the second-most clocking in at just 12. But none of the other trades were great.
At least with Porzingis, there's a chance he plays well moving forward. And he's on a solid, tradable contract. Plus, Golden State got to end the drawn-out, drama-filled Kuminga era. Since there weren't many other great deals, this one almost wins by default.
2. Boston Celtics: The Jo Jo White trade (1979)
Cover your eyes, Warriors fans. Golden State does not have a great history with the Boston Celtics. In fact, it's highlighted by an absolutely disastrous move in 1980 that saw Robert Parish and Kevin McHale head East.
As for the best trade, it's probably the Jo Jo White deal. Golden State sent a 1979 first-round pick to the Celtics for White. White only played 109 games in Golden State, but the Celtics traded the first for Bob McAdoo, who only played 20 games in Boston.
Most of the other five trades (six total) the Warriors and Celtics have made ended up as wins for Boston or a wash for both teams. So, let's go with the Hall of Famer who at least played over 100 games for the Warriors.
3. Brooklyn Nets: The Draymond Green trade (2011)
It was a year out, but the Brooklyn Nets did, in fact, trade the Warriors the second-round pick that eventually became Draymond Green. And that is by far the best trade the Warriors ever made with the Nets.
In February 2011, Golden State traded Brandan Wright and Dan Gadzuric to the Nets in exchange for Troy Murphy and the 2012 second-round pick that became Green.
This isn't just the best trade the Warriors have ever made with the Nets. There's an argument to be made that it's the best trade the Warriors have ever made, period. And it was just for a measly second-round pick. But that pick turned into gold.
4. Charlotte Hornets: The Muggsy Bogues trade (1997)
Let's not talk about the Jason Richardson trade. Or the Stephen Jackson trade. Instead, let's go all the way back to the 1990s when the Warriors shipped out an aging B.J. Armstrong to the Charlotte Hornets.
Golden State sent a 30-year-old Armstrong to the Hornets in exchange for Muggsy Bogues and Tony Delk. Both of those guys ended up being impactful rotation pieces for the Warriors.
Bogues played in 95 games for the Warriors, and Delk appeared in 110. Neither was incredible for the Warriors, but Armstrong ended up declining pretty sharply in Charlotte, so it was definitely a win for the Bay. It was the best of the seven trades the Warriors made with the Hornets.
5. Chicago Bulls: The Jeff Mullins trade (1966)
The Warriors and Chicago Bulls have made 10 trades, but you have to go back to 1966 to find the one that turned out best for Golden State. It was when they landed Jeff Mullins.
Mullins and Jim King were traded from the Bulls to the Warriors, and Golden State sent out Guy Rodgers. Now, Rodgers is a Hall of Famer, but after leaving Golden State, he only made one more All-Star team.
Meanwhile, Mullins went on to make three All-Star appearances in Golden State, and King made one of his own. Mullins even went on to help the Warriors win a championship in 1975.
6. Cleveland Cavaliers: The Bob Sura trade (2000)
I'm noticing an unfortunate trend so far. Hopefully, the Warriors just like trading with teams that come later in alphabetical order, because right now, things are looking bleak.
The Warriors made five trades with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and none were good for Golden State. But still, one had to be selected. The best of the bad bunch was a three-team deal in 2000 that netted the Warriors Bob Sura and Vinny Del Negro.
Golden State shipped out Jason Caffey and Billy Owens in the deal, though neither ended up doing too much with his next team. At least the Warriors got back three seasons of Sura, who was a solid rotational guard for them.
7. Dallas Mavericks: The Klay Thompson trade (2024)
Another team, another set of nothing trades for the Warriors. And unfortunately, the best deal they made might be the Thompson trade from July 2024.
Trading Thompson was brutal. But it was clear that the era had ended. Golden State managed to get Hield and Kyle Anderson out of the six-team deal, and they played okay with the Warriors.
But more importantly, the Warriors ended up flipping Anderson in the Jimmy Butler trade, and they used Hield in the Porzingis trade. Without the Thompson trade, those deals never would have happened in the way they were constructed.
Technically, neither of the players Golden State got back in the deal came from Dallas, but since Thompson is such an important part of Warriors history, we're counting this one.
8. Denver Nuggets: The Andre Iguodala trade (2013)
Only three trades to analyze here, and luckily for the Warriors, they finally got a clear-cut win. In 2013, in a three-team trade, the Warriors shipped out Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Brandon Rush, two first-round picks, and three second-round picks, but in return, they got back Andre Iguodala.
Obviously, Iguodala went on to be one of the most important pieces of the Curry era. He was there right alongside Curry, Thompson, and Green for all four title runs in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022.
Iguodala has gone on to have his number retired in San Francisco. Golden State gave up a haul, but none of the players they dealt (or any of the players the picks turned into) did much for their next teams.
9. Detroit Pistons: The Clifford Robinson trade (2003)
Welcome back to the picture, Bob Sura. He's back, but this time around, he's getting traded by the Warriors. In 2003, the Warriors traded Sura to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for Clifford Robinson and Pepe Sanchez.
Just a few years after they acquired Sura from the Cavaliers, the Warriors flipped him. Sura went on to play 53 games with the Pistons, but Robinson played a much larger role in Golden State than Sura did in Detroit.
Robinson appeared in 124 games for the Warriors across two different seasons, though he was traded again midway through the second. It's not a flashy trade, but of the five Golden State made with the Pistons, it's the best.
(We're not counting the Jimmy Butler or Gary Payton II trades because technically the Warriors didn't get those guys back from the Pistons.)
10. Houston Rockets: The Dana Barros trade (1987)
That heading is a lie. Dana Barros never played for the Warriors. But the Warriors did trade for the draft pick that became Barros. And considering all three trades the Warriors made with the Houston Rockets were bad, we'll roll with that.
Golden State traded Purvis Short to the Rockets for Dave Feitl and a 1989 first-rounder. Feitl didn't do much in Golden State, but the Warriors traded that first to the Seattle SuperSonics for another first.
That first became Gary Payton! But the Warriors traded it again before it became Payton… In fact, they traded it back to the SuperSonics for Alton Lister, who was a solid role player. So yeah…
11. Indiana Pacers: The Stephen Jackson trade (2007)
This trade was a solid one for both teams. The Indiana Pacers got Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy as the headliners, and the Warriors got Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. We're rocking with the "We Believe" Warriors for this one, though.
The full trade was as follows: The Warriors sent out Dunleavy, Murphy, Keith McLeod, and Ike Diogu to the Pacers for Jackson, Harrington, Sarunas Jasikevicius, and Josh Powell.
Dunleavy played well for the Pacers. As did Murphy. But Jackson and Harrington were integral parts of one of the most iconic Warriors teams in franchise history. That counts for something.
12. LA Clippers: The World B. Free trade (1980)
Back when the LA Clippers were the San Diego Clippers, they traded World B. Free at the peak of his powers. And they traded him to the Warriors for Phil Smith and a first-round pick.
Smith played well in San Diego, though the first-round pick turned into Lancaster Gordon, who didn't amount to much. Meanwhile, Free continued to be a scoring machine in Golden State.
He only spent two full seasons with the Warriors before being traded again, but he put up some impressive numbers. Free never made the playoffs in Golden State, but considering none of the other three trades the two teams made were great for the Warriors, this deal comes out on top.
13. Los Angeles Lakers: The Dwayne Whitfield trade (1994)
Now, if you're sitting there asking yourself, "Who in the heck is Dwayne Whitfield?" you'd probably be in the majority. Because this trade isn't actually about him at all.
In 1994, the Los Angeles Lakers traded a 1995 second-round pick to the Warriors in exchange for Anthony Miller. Miller played okay in LA, and the Warriors eventually selected Whitfield in 1995. He was eventually shipped to the Toronto Raptors in a trade for B.J. Armstrong, who played pretty well during his short stint in Golden State.
The Warriors and Lakers have only made three trades ever. And of the three trades, only one included players who actually played for the Warriors — and that was Golden State sending Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks out for Steve Blake. We'll stick with the Whitfield deal…
14. Memphis Grizzlies: The Will Richard trade (2025)
The Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies have only ever made two trades. The first one was when the Warriors dumped Iguodala and a first-round pick to the Grizzlies for Julian Washburn.
So, let's talk about the Will Richard trade instead. In 2025, the Warriors traded Jahmai Mashack, Justinian Jessup, and a 2032 second-round pick to the Grizzlies for Richard.
Richard looks like a relatively promising young piece in Golden State. He played well during his rookie campaign, and now he'll look to build on it heading into next season. At just 23 years old, he already looks like an NBA rotation piece.
15. Miami Heat: The Jimmy Butler trade (2025)
Here we go. A trade for an actual star. It's been a while. Last year, the Warriors made a giant move at the trade deadline, landing Butler in a three-team trade, ending his storied tenure with the Miami Heat.
The deal was Golden State's most recent effort to build a new championship-caliber team around Curry. Unfortunately, an ACL injury has gotten in the way of those plans.
Still, the Warriors only had to give up Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schroder, Lindy Waters III, a first-rounder (Kasparas Jakucionis selected), and a second-rounder in the deal. Butler is an All-Star and, at his best, an All-NBA player who elevates his game in the postseason. Once he's back from his ACL injury, he should continue to help Curry win games.
16. Milwaukee Bucks: The Andrew Bogut trade (2012)
Of the five trades the Warriors and Milwaukee Bucks have ever made, not only is the Andrew Bogut trade the best for the Warriors, but it's also perhaps one of the most noteworthy in franchise history.
The Warriors traded Monta Ellis, Kwame Brown, and Ekpe Udoh to the Bucks for Bogut and Stephen Jackson. It was officially the beginning of the Curry era, as the Warriors chose him over Ellis.
Bogut went on to help the Warriors win the championship in 2015, acting as their defensive anchor at the five spot. There's a real argument to be made that he's the best center of the Curry era.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves: The Andrew Wiggins trade (2020)
In 2020, the Warriors capitalized on D'Angelo Russell's trade value, shipping him to the Minnesota Timberwolves so he could play alongside one of his good friends, Karl-Anthony Towns.
The full trade was Russell, Jacob Evans, and Omari Spellman heading to the Wolves, and the Warriors getting back Wiggins, a 2021 first, and a 2021 second. That first became Kuminga.
Though Kuminga played all right in Golden State, Wiggins was by far the star of the deal. He turned his career around in Golden State, helping the Warriors win a championship in 2022 as one of the best two-way wings in the NBA.
18. New Orleans Pelicans: The Baron Davis trade (2005)
The Warriors and New Orleans Pelicans have only made three trades. Of the three, the Baron Davis deal was the best for the Warriors by far. It completely eclipses the other two trades.
In 2005, the Warriors traded Speedy Claxton and Dale Davis to the Pelicans — then the New Orleans Hornets — for Baron Davis. Obviously, Davis went on to cement himself as a franchise legend.
He was a member of the 2007 "We Believe" Warriors, whom we already discussed with the Stephen Jackson trade. But unlike that trade with the Pacers, this deal was not a win-win. It was just a win. A win for the Warriors.
19. New York Knicks: The David Lee trade (2010)
There have been seven trades made between the Warriors and the New York Knicks, but you don't have to look far for the best one. It's the David Lee trade back in 2010.
The Lee trade is the most recent deal between the two sides, meaning they have not traded with each other in over 15 years. But the last time they did, the Warriors got the last laugh.
Golden State traded Kelenna Azubuike, Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf, a 2012 second-round pick, and a 2013 second-round pick to the Knicks in exchange for Lee, who was a one-time All-Star with the Warriors.
20. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Butch Beard trade (1973)
You read that correctly. You have to go all the way back to 1973 to find a trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder that the Warriors won. And at that point, the Thunder were still the SuperSonics.
The Warriors traded Walt Hazzard to the SuperSonics in exchange for Butch Beard. Hazzard went on to play 49 games with the SuperSonics, and Beard did way more than that in Golden State.
Though he only spent two seasons with the Warriors, he was an integral part of the 1975 championship team. Beard played 26.4 minutes per game in those playoffs and helped the Warriors bring home the title.
21. Orlando Magic: The Penny Hardaway trade (1993)
The Warriors have never made a good trade with the Orlando Magic. It's mess after mess after mess. Luckily, that's where it ends, because the two teams have only made three trades in NBA history.
For the sake of merely having an answer for this article, we'll just talk about the Penny Hardaway trade, even though the Warriors messed it up massively. They traded Hardaway and three first-round picks — and by extension Vince Carter and Mike Miller — for Chris Webber, who only played 85 games with the Warriors.
The Warriors actually got the Carter pick back in a trade, selected Carter, then traded him to the Toronto Raptors on draft night for Antawn Jamison. It was a disaster, but getting Jamison in that deal is still the best they did in any trade with the Magic.
New rule for Golden State: no more trading with Orlando.
22. Philadelphia 76ers: The Chris Gatling trade (1990)
In 1990, the Warriors traded Manute Bol to the Philadelphia 76ers for a 1991 first-round pick. That pick eventually became Chris Gatling, who went on to play 311 games for the Warriors.
Bol is obviously the bigger name. In his heyday, he was a block machine and defensive menace. But once he got to Philadelphia, he wasn't the same player he once was. He was still blocking shots, but not nearly at the same rate.
Meanwhile, Gatling spent four and a half seasons in Golden State, earning some Sixth Man of the Year buzz in the latter stages of his time there. He made an All-Star Game later in his career, though that was in 1997, after the Warriors traded him.
23. Phoenix Suns: The Zarko Cabarkapa trade (2005)
Oh wow, another interesting name on the list, I see. Well, that's because most of the trades the Phoenix Suns have made with the Warriors have been nothingburgers. Deals neither side really won.
The best of the bunch, however, was a deal made in 2005. The Warriors traded a 2007 second-round pick and a 2009 second-round pick to the Suns in exchange for Zarko Cabarkapa.
Cabarkapa played in 98 games with the Warriors, though he was nothing more than a low-end role player. However, the Suns ended up flipping those two seconds again, so the players selected with them never played for Phoenix. It's the best nothing of a bunch of nothing trades.
24. Portland Trail Blazers: The Jim Barnett trade (1971)
The Warriors' acquisition of Gary Payton II in a deal with the Portland Trail Blazers a few years ago almost topped this list, but that would be recency bias. So, let's take it back a few years. Well, more than a few.
In March 1971, the Warriors sent a 1971 second-rounder, a 1972 second-rounder, and a 1971 third-rounder to the Blazers in exchange for Jim Barnett.
One of those seconds turned into Dave Twardzik, who was eventually an ABA All-Star, but Barnett spent some good years with the Warriors. He appeared in 239 games with the Warriors, giving them solid minutes throughout two different playoff runs in 1972 and 1973.
25. Sacramento Kings: The Jerry Lucas trade (1969)
The Warriors and Sacramento Kings have not made a trade together since 1991. That's over 35 years. And unfortunately for the Warriors, in particular, it's been even longer since they have won a trade with the Kings.
You have to go all the way back to 1969 for that. The Warriors sent Jim King and Bill Turner to the then-Cincinnati Royals in exchange for Jerry Lucas. And even this deal was just a low-tier win for the Warriors.
Neither King nor Turner played much for the Royals, but Lucas appeared in 143 games for the Warriors. He's a Hall of Famer and made one All-Star team with the Warriors, helping them through one (short-lived) playoff run in 1971.
26. San Antonio Spurs: The Festus Ezeli trade (2012)
Back in 1984, the Warriors traded Ron Brewer to the San Antonio Spurs for the 1985 second-round pick that became Manute Bol. That could have been great, but they traded the pick again before Bol got to town and didn't get him until later, so we're rolling with a more recent option for the best trade here.
In 2012, the Warriors shipped out Stephen Jackson just a few years after the "We Believe" Warriors beat the Mavericks. In return, the Warriors received Richard Jefferson, T.J. Ford, and the first-round pick that became Festus Ezeli.
Jefferson's time in Golden State was short-lived, but he was eventually traded for Iguodala. Meanwhile, Ezeli was a bench guy, but he played real minutes for Golden State during the early Curry years.
27. Toronto Raptors: The B.J. Armstrong trade (1995)
Remember when we were talking about the Warriors' best trade with the Lakers being the deal that landed them the pick that became the player they traded for B.J. Armstrong? Well, welcome back.
Here's that exact trade. The Warriors traded Victor Alexander, Martin Lewis, Michael McDonald, Carlos Rogers, and the man of the hour, Dwayne Whitfield, to the Toronto Raptors. They got back Armstrong.
Armstrong played fairly well in Golden State, but the fact that this trade is back on the list tells you how rough the Warriors' trade history is with the Raptors. We won't speak about the Carter trade again… Oh shoot, just did. Forget about that.
28. Utah Jazz: The Bernard King trade (1980)
The Warriors and Utah Jazz have technically made eight trades together. However, most of them have been nothing-for-nothing deals, or multi-team trades in which the Warriors didn't actually get anyone back from the Jazz.
So, let's head back to the 1980s. Specifically, 1980 on the dot. In September of that year, the Warriors traded Wayne Cooper and a 1981 second-round pick to the Jazz, getting back Bernard King.
At that point in his career, King was just coming into his own, and the Warriors got a steal. He played two seasons in Golden State, making one All-Star team and one All-NBA Second Team.
29. Washington Wizards: The Manute Bol trade (1988)
For the third time on this list, we're bringing up Manute Bol. The Warriors almost getting Bol was almost a great deal with San Antonio, and getting Bol from the Washington Wizards (then the Bullets) is their best with this team.
In 1988, the Warriors sent Dave Feitl (his second time on this list) and a 1989 second-round pick to the Bullets in exchange for Bol, who went on to play two seasons in Golden State before rejoining them at the tail end of his career.
Bol wasn't quite as good in Golden State as he was in Washington, but he still finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 1989. He helped the Warriors make the second round of the playoffs that year.
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